November 12, 2025 – Will My Child Ever Learn to Read and Enjoy it?

Hey, Mama!

Gena Suarez, Publisher of TOS

It Will Be All RIGHT

Hey Mama,

I heard you were struggling with anxiety . . . worries . . . fears. They can be paralyzing.

Your children may be struggling, too. And that just tugs at your weary heart even more. Heavy-laden Mama, you are not alone.

John 14:27 speaks of the peace Christ gives, not the kind the world offers—something far better. His ways are higher than ours. We think we see everything before us, but He knows what is around the next corner. If only you could see what He sees, you’d realize He knows all the struggles of today, but He also sees you overcoming in His timing.

When you struggle, remember to seek encouragement from those who have followed this same journey and have overcome. Some of their stories and resources for your struggling learners are in the pages of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.

Understanding Your Child’s Learning Struggles
If I Wait, Will it Be too Late? What to Think When Reading Doesn’t Start Easily
Ready for Math

And remember, Mama . . .

The good news—He sees! And He gives us peace because He cares, a peace the world can’t understand.

Don’t focus on what’s heavy right now, Mama. Set your eyes on Christ and His perfect peace, knowing that He works all things for good for those who love Him. Provision will arrive. Uncertainties will dissolve. The unjust will not prevail. The sadness will cease. This pain will not endure. Just wait. He will RIGHT everything.

Trust His heart, God-fearing Mama. It’s pure. And it’s yours.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” – John 14:27

Love, gena

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GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

David Morgan from All Aboard Learning

Micro Reading Interventions

Bright children are often held back for years by just a small barrier. To see their reading confidence and ability surge forward, you just need to remove that little barrier. We call it a micro intervention approach.

Let me give you some of the most common patterns of frustration and what needs to be done in each situation:

Complains of the words “moving”—place a colored plastic sheet over the page to remove the harsh black-on-white contrast.

Struggles with a whole page of text—increase the text size, if possible. Use a black pen to point at each word and do daily eye tracking exercises to strengthen convergence.

Struggles with all “decoding” of words—use “trainertext” to build accuracy and fluency.

Has low comprehension in silent reading—encourage them to vocalize the words in their head as they read them, which engages their spoken word comprehension cortex.

Guesses short words and flips the letters b and d—help them to switch from whole word reading to word decoding using nonsense words or “trainertext.”

You can see that the guidance and intervention needed is different for each situation. There is no universal intervention for all reluctant readers, but there is an effective solution available for every child. Sadly, if you do not apply the solution needed, then frustration will persist.

We have developed these practical solutions by working directly with over fifteen thousand reluctant readers in schools and homes. We have built them into the Easyread intervention system and the All Aboard Phonics foundation system.

They are designed to build accuracy and confidence through the science of reading, and develop a joy in reading so that the child reads more and more.

Contact support@allaboardlearning.com for more information on these possible solutions. https://allaboardlearning.com/info/micro-reading-interventions/

Todd Wilson

Familyman Ministries

It’s Okay!

Oh, Martha, Martha . . . you have so many worries. Yet only one thing really matters . . . and it ain’t reading skills!

I don’t mean this in a bad way, but the two of you have so much in common. Martha got sidetracked (as do most homeschooling moms). All the stuff she thought mattered and was important was diagnosed by Jesus and cut away in one quick moment.

The same can happen to you, especially when it comes to reading. It all started a few decades ago when some academic nerd announced, “Kids should be reading by 6 years old.” The statement was cast in stone, and from that moment on, it became the standard for teachers and parents.

For those parents whose children were created by God to read by age 6, it validated their children’s abilities as well as their own. For those parents whose children were not created to read by 6 years of age, it doomed them and their children to inferiority, frustration, and failure.

Here’s the deal, Martha: your child is going to read when he/she is supposed to read. It doesn’t matter if they are 3, 6, 9, or 12. The great thing about homeschooling is that you get to be there when they “get it.” And, truth be told, they may not love to read. It will be something they do . . . but it may not be something they love. That’s okay.

So forget what Mr. Academic Nerd says and know that your child is going to get it exactly when God designed him to get it . . . not one minute before or later. Quit worrying, listening to the experts, driving your child like a mule, and . . . order your husband a 2026 You ‘Da Dad Daily Calendar for Christmas (see how seamlessly I segued into that little advertisement?).

That’s right, the world’s best husband gift is now available. So order yours today! And . . .

Be Real,
Todd

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About the author

Todd Wilson is a dad, granddad, writer, conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd’s humor and down to earth realness have made him a favorite speaker at homeschool conventions, retreats, and churches across the country. As founder of Familyman Ministries and the Smiling Homeschooler, his passion and mission are to remind dads and moms of what’s most important through weekly e-mails, podcasts (The Familyman Show & The Smiling Homeschooler), seminars, and books and products that encourage parents. Todd, and his wife Debbie, still homeschool two of their eight children (six have graduated with four married) in northern Indiana. You can read more at www.familymanweb.com.

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Heidi Mosher

Confessions of a Book Addict

Book hoarder here. Everywhere you look in my house, you’ll see books—overflowing shelves, spilling out of baskets, and even decorating surfaces. Books live in my car and in my bags so I can read on the go. I love sharing book recommendations too; find some favorites in Five Lifegiving Titles for Every Age and Stage. 

My husband asked what he can wrap up for my upcoming fiftieth birthday; I suggested fifty books. He’ll find over eighty titles waiting patiently in my Amazon cart. (I suspect he’s getting me a dog though.)  

I’m a little surprised that my kids aren’t big readers, although they each went through a stage of avid reading, usually when a book series like The Boxcar Children or Nancy Drew was involved. They have sweet memories of the dozens of read-alouds we journeyed through together in our homeschool. They have library cards and access to my large collection of books. Yet, only one of my kids asks for books these days. 

It doesn’t matter if they like books though. Books are temporary.  

When I view my kids with eternal perspective, what matters is their relationship to one book: God’s Word, the Bible. It is the best, most enduring book of all. Will they read the Word of God on their own? Will they hide it in their hearts to discern truth with and to light their paths? My priority is for them each to read through the entire Bible before graduation and talk through it with them. And when they leave home, I will send them on their way with infinite treasure—their own Bible.

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart…” (Jeremiah 15:16a).

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

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About the author

Heidi Mosher is honored to write for The Homeschool Minute, as it was a lifeline of her early homeschooling years. She is thankful to be the mother of four: three recent homeschool graduates and one in high school.

Adam and Dianne Riveiro

Catch the Joy of Reading! 

Full disclosure: our family loves to read! Dianne and I are both voracious readers, and that passion for books has been passed down to our children. We all have our own favorite genres, but it’s not unusual for one or more of us to have a book in hand at any given time.

While I can’t guarantee that your own children will come to love reading too, I can share a bit of insight into how I believe our four children developed a passion for independent reading (without bribes, bargaining, or badgering). In most situations, a love for reading is better caught than taught.

A reading class, in and of itself, likely won’t inspire a true passion for books. However, modeling your own love of reading is a far more effective way to encourage your children to become bibliophiles on their own. Let them see you with a book in hand and another on your nightstand. Head to the library on a field trip and choose books to read together. Read aloud as a family. Settle in at night and read a chapter of a book before bed with your child, especially at younger ages. Inspire your children to cherish reading by showing them how much you treasure the printed page.

Two quick caveats: Not every child will end up loving to read, and that result is okay if you know you’ve tried your best. Also, there could be the distinct possibility that you don’t love to read, and let’s be honest, it makes it hard passing on a love of reading when it’s nonexistent in your own life! If that’s you, I’d encourage you to push through anyway: commit to doing everything you can to help your children discover the joy of reading books, even if you’re more likely to read ’em and weep!

-Adam

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About the author

Pastor Adam and Dianne Riveiro live in Easton, Massachusetts, where Adam serves as the pastor of Liberty Baptist Church. Together, they’ve authored several books, including their newest book Ministering to YOUR Children with Special Needs, published by Ready Scribe Publications. Parents to four amazing kids—Bethany, Kaylee, AJ, and Peyton—the Riveiros are deeply committed to helping special needs families discover joy and contentment through Christ.

If you’ve ever wondered when reading will finally “click,” you’re not alone. The Teaching Reading Through Play course at SchoolhouseTeachers.com reminds us that learning to read is a joyful journey, not a race. Combine it with the Focus on Reading Center for resources that encourage confidence, patience, and a love for stories that grow over time. Overcome reading challenges with the help of SchoolhouseTeachers.com!